Bliss
by Yuneyn
Summary: "Really, he was just so happy to have found a real friend. This had to be what happiness felt like, right?" How do you know the difference between friendship and love when you have never had either?


_A/N:_ _Me *writes post game fix-it fic*: I'm so happy to write about their 30yo selves, for once I can write about characters my own damn age.  
_ _Me *two weeks later*: WHAT ABOUT SOME HIGH SCHOOL FLUFF?  
_ _*facepalm*_

 _So, yeah, here's some Brotherhood-era highschool Promptis because I needed to get this out of my system. Honestly, they both remind me so much of some stuff that happened to me at this age... (The first half of this fic may or may not be very strongly based on real life situations, ahem)._ _The title is a Muse song - because this band will forever remind me of high school._

 _This is just sweet, happy fluff, because I wasn't in the mood for angst - and honestly the game is mean enough to them. I hope you'll enjoy these beautiful dorks in love :)_

 _*winks hyperstorms* because it's because of our talk that I ended up writing this._

 _The biggest thanks to my wonderful beta voxiferous, you're the best!_

* * *

"Sorry I made you come with me..."

In retrospect, Prompto should have known it was a bad idea to go to this dumb class party with Noctis. They had only been friends for a few months, but Prompto had already figured out that his friend wasn't too big a fan of such events. Still, he had been too excited; this was the first year he actually had a friend to go to one of these parties with, after all. And it wasn't even one of those fancy Citadel balls that Noctis hated, it was just a silly little thing their classmates were throwing to celebrate the end of the school's festival and the beginning of summer… But it was still too loud, too hot, and there were too many people.

"Nah, it's ok," Noctis sighed, sitting on a low wall outside of the house where their classmates were still having fun. They were in a more residential part of Insomnia, and while it wasn't very late, the streets were already pretty much empty. The warm summer air felt cool against their sweaty skin - it really had been too hot in there.

"Ignis kinda always makes me show up to these things anyway. Something about my image, or whatever," Noctis continued.

Prompto chuckled and joined Noctis on the wall. "What would he say if he knew you snuck out after 15 minutes?"

"Well, now I can blame this on you. Say you thought it was too loud or something," Noctis teased.

Prompto put his hand over his heart in mock offense. "Dude, I can't believe you'd throw me under the bus like that!"

A soft laugh escaped Noctis' lips - Prompto could count on his fingertips the number of times he had heard this sound, and he considered it a small victory each time he was the one who had caused it. "Look, it's perfect. What kind of Prince would I be if I ignored the distress of one of my subjects?"

"You're the Prince of Dorks, that's what you are," Prompto chuckled, playfully bumping Noctis' shoulder. "So, _your Highness_ ," Prompto said once they finished laughing, "think your image would survive taking a nighttime walk with a commoner?"

"I think my sanity needs it," Noctis said, jumping off the wall. "Just, stop calling me _that._ "

"What? _Your Highness_?" Prompto asked innocently, joining Noctis as he started walking.

"Stop it."

"Oh, but of course, _your Majesty_!"

"Prompto…"

Prompto simply laughed as Noctis flicked the back of his head.

A comfortable silence settled between them as they walked around the block, something Prompto was quite frankly not used to yet. To him, silence had always meant solitude or awkwardness; but he had quickly learned that Noctis not only liked but also needed these quiet times. So, Prompto tried his best to stop himself from blabbering away.

It was comforting, though, to know that someone enjoyed his company enough that they didn't need any kind of small talk. Their arms were brushing accidentally now and then as they walked, and a warm feeling settled in Prompto's chest as he simply let himself relax in Noctis' presence.

They could still hear the faint sound of music coming from the party, and Prompto only realized he had been humming it all along when Noctis stopped in his tracks.

"Hey, if you want to go back…" Noctis said, scratching the back of his head. "I mean, I don't want to keep you from having fun."

"Don't worry about it," Prompto replied with a smile. "Hanging out like this is fine too."

"Really?"

"Well, I mean… I guess it could have been fun to dance a little? Maybe? I don't know, I've never been to one of these things…" Prompto said quickly, looking away to hide his embarrassment.

Noctis just hummed and started walking again. "From my own experience, there's not so much dancing as just bumping into everyone."

"Right, like _you_ danced," Prompto teased, playfully elbowing Noctis.

"I _watched_ ," Noctis replied, rolling his eyes. "I _can_ dance, though."

"Oh, yeah, those Citadel parties you've told me about."

"There's gonna be one soon… Always one in the summer," Noctis said, wincing.

"Sorry man," Prompto said, putting one hand on Noctis' shoulder. "You can always text me if you're losing your mind. I'll send you silly dog memes or stuff."

Noctis chuckled, and they both stopped walking as they realized they had made it back to the party's door.

"Tell you what," Noctis said. "Promise you'll keep me sane during that stupid summer ball and I'll dance with you right now."

"Dude, it's ok. Of course I'll text you the whole night, but I don't need to dance - also you hate dancing."

"I hate being forced to dance with boring people I don't want to talk to," Noctis said flatly. "You're okay, I guess," he added with a smirk.

"Wow, I'm honored to be deemed _okay_ by His Royal Broodiness," Prompto replied, bowing exaggeratedly.

"Okay, do you want to dance or not?" Noctis asked, crossing his arms, his exasperation tinted with amusement.

"What, here?"

"I'd really rather avoid going back inside."

"Alright, then. Who would I be to refuse this opportunity?" Prompto said, winking at Noctis.

Noctis simply grumbled, and grabbed Prompto's arm and waist. Noctis led them into some kind of weird, upbeat waltz to fit the rhythm of the music that was coming from inside. It looked perfectly ridiculous, and Prompto was making a point of exaggerating each move to make it even worse.

They didn't even last 30 seconds before they both burst into laughter and sat down on that same low wall as before to gather their breaths.

"Man, you're lucky there's no one outside around here at this hour to record this," Prompto said.

"Ugh, I can hear the lecture from here," Noctis said, his nose scrunching up at the thought.

"Still, I didn't know you had this in you."

"If you tell anyone, I'll deny it."

"Right, Gods forbid anyone finds out the Prince of Lucis can be fun."

"Oh, shut up," Noctis retorted, punching Prompto's shoulder lightly.

Prompto simply laughed.

Maybe Ignis wasn't too thrilled when Noctis outright told him they had hung out outside for most of the night. And maybe Prompto felt rather uncomfortable the whole ride home - Noctis had insisted they drop him off, but he didn't know Ignis that well yet and quite frankly the man scared him - but it was fine. He actually found himself replaying the events of the night in his head before falling asleep, a smile forming on his face at the thought of having finally found someone to do these kinds of silly things with.

* * *

Prompto was right in the middle of an internal freak-out. His best friend, Noctis, the actual real Prince of Lucis, was going to sleep over at his place. Which would be fine, technically, if Prompto wasn't obsessing over the sleeping arrangements.

Prompto knew his bed was way too small for two people, and the couch was awfully uncomfortable. So, he had dug into his savings to buy an inflatable mattress, which he had fully intended on using himself. No way he'd let his guest sleep on the floor - especially when said guest was royalty.

"Prompto, I can hear you thinking from here. I'm fine," Noctis said from that stupid inflatable mattress on which he had stupidly decided to lie down while Prompto was showering.

"Okay, no, you're not fine, you're supposed to be in my bed," Prompto said quickly.

Noctis lifted his eyes from his phone to raise an eyebrow at Prompto. "Is that an invitation?"

Prompto choked and felt himself blush at the suggestion. "No, Noct- come on," he stammered, making Noctis laugh.

"I'm fine," Noctis said again. "Besides, I can sleep anywhere."

"That's not the point, you're the guest, and you're…"

"Don't say it," Noctis warned, although he was smiling.

"Noct, you know I only call you Highness and all to mess with you, but- I don't want to get executed or something for letting the Prince sleep on the floor," Prompto said, scratching the back of his head.

Noctis huffed and his eyes went back to his phone. "You're not gonna get executed," he said flatly. "Tell you what, I'll challenge you for it. King's Knight?"

Prompto grinned and plopped on his bed. "You know I always kick your ass, I'm gonna win that mattress back!"

An hour later, true to his word, Prompto had won. But mostly because Noctis had fallen asleep before the game had ended, so in the end, Prompto didn't get the inflatable mattress back. Splayed on his belly, Prompto shook his head as he gazed down at his friend's sleeping face. It shouldn't even have surprised him, with how often he had to wake Noctis up in class or when they were trying to do their homework together.

Prompto sighed and let his head fall on his folded arms. He could still see Noctis from the side, and found himself studying his friend's face, noticing how peaceful and relaxed it looked. It really was easy to forget about Noctis' social status when they were hanging out - and when dumb sleeping arrangements were out of the picture. Prompto hadn't been sure what to expect when he had finally befriended the Prince, but certainly not for their friendship to feel so natural. They had immediately gotten along: they played the same video games, liked the same comics, and had the same dorky sense of humor. And, in a way, they were both a bit awkward and lonely.

Each time they were together, Prompto could see how much Noctis just wanted to be a regular teenager. However, he could also see the moments when his rank weighed too much on his friend. The way his shoulders would tense up sometimes upon receiving a text or a call, or how his jaw would clench when the media mentioned his father's health…

Prompto shook his head and rolled over on his back, staring at the ceiling. They were only 16; they should only have been worrying about homework and classes, and just be having fun the rest of the time. Well, they _were_ having a lot of fun together, but still... When he thought about it, Prompto had no idea what to do with his life in the future. And, sometimes, that sucked... But Noctis… Noctis didn't even have a say in the matter.

Prompto sighed, and turned his head to the side to look at his friend again. It wasn't like he could change Noctis' status anyway. But he could still help him forget about it, come up with silly things to do together, and maybe stop obsessing over silly details such as mattresses. Especially since it was true that Noctis really could sleep anywhere.

Noctis' joke about Prompto inviting him into bed came back to him and Prompto found himself blushing again, realizing he had been staring at his friend's face for a pretty long time. There was the smallest hint of butterflies in his stomach as he glanced at Noctis one last time before turning off the light and settling down. Prompto didn't really register it, nor the way his heart was beating just a little bit faster. Really, he was just so happy to have found a real friend. This had to be what happiness felt like, right?

* * *

"Your Highness, please, we're going to be late."

Noctis let out an exasperated sigh and opened the car door, throwing his bag onto the seat before turning to face Prompto.

"Sorry to cut this short," Noctis said with a frown.

"Don't worry about it, man. I understand," Prompto replied, smiling softly.

They had been at the arcade when Noctis had gotten a call from Ignis, reminding him about some meeting that Noctis had definitely done his best to forget. As a result, he had moped until Ignis had arrived to pick him up, unleashing his anger on the virtual enemies of their favorite shooting game. Anyone else might have thought that Noctis was cold and didn't care about the kingdom, but Prompto knew better. It was because Noctis actually did care too much about everything that he would sometimes close up or have angry outbursts.

Prompto had found out that the best thing to do in these moments was just to let Noctis be Noctis, so he hadn't said anything. He had simply put a hand on his friend's shoulder when he saw him tense up during the call, and snapped a pic of Noctis' "Angry Victorious Prince" face after he had beaten his high score - because, let's be honest, it would be a fun picture to look back at later.

"We'll finish this tomorrow after school," Prompto continued.

"Yeah," Noctis sighed, clearly not motivated to actually get inside the car.

"Don't forget to wake up, though, we've got an early class in the morning," Prompto teased, poking at Noctis' chest.

"Ugh, why-" Noctis whined, making Prompto chuckle.

"One day I'll make you come running with me at sunrise, it'll help you wake up, you'll see!"

Noctis groaned at this idea, and Ignis' voice came once again from the driver's seat. "I would much enjoy being there if you ever manage this feat, Prompto."

"Okay, both of you, shut up," Noctis said, trying to sound pissed but unable to completely mask the amusement in his voice.

 _Small victory_ , Prompto thought with a smile, as Noctis sat down in the backseat and closed the door.

The car window opened almost immediately, and Noctis held out his hand, staring at Prompto with a smirk. Prompto instinctively grabbed Noctis' hand, not really sure what to do as he felt a blush creep up on his cheeks.

Noctis smirk widened. "Hey, champion. Start running."

With that, the car started moving, and Prompto laughed as he tried to keep up - but evidently had to release Noctis' hand after less than 10 seconds. They both waved at each other as the car moved away, the butterflies in Prompto's stomach now a familiar feeling he had come to associate with being around Noctis. Not like he ever thought too much about it, but it felt nice, kind of like walking on air.

Prompto's lips were still curled up into a small smile as he made it to his small apartment, and he laughed as he switched on his phone to see a text from Noctis asking for Prompto to come rescue him from his meeting.

As he was typing a quick reply, little did he know that at the same time Ignis was sending a text to Gladio, complaining about a certain pair of oblivious idiots who were driving him insane.

* * *

Prompto could feel his heart beating faster as he got closer to school. This was ridiculous, he thought, there was no reason for him to be panicking over something so simple.

He wasn't sure why he wanted to do this, but after mulling over it for days, he had finally decided that he needed to come out and say it. The school year was almost over, and it had been the best of his life, really. He had never imagined how much his life would change once he finally got a friend, but it had.

Not only was it new for Prompto to have someone actually seek his company, but every time he managed to make Noctis smile or laugh it made him feel useful. Like… being Noctis' friend gave his existence meaning. Maybe he wasn't that worthless after all. He could remember every moment spent together with Noctis, loving the way those familiar butterflies danced in his stomach at the memories. Sometimes it was almost intoxicating, in a good way, how happy he could feel. And it was all because of this newfound friendship… For some reason, Prompto really wanted to thank Noctis for it.

When he had imagined it, it was simple. He'd just say "thank you"; those were two simple words; it would be easy. Maybe Noctis would smile, call him a dork, and they would laugh, and keep doing whatever they were doing. But now that he was about to do it, he couldn't help but feel utterly ridiculous. Who even says things like that? Did it even need to be said at this point? And yet, there was this feeling eating at him, that he needed to tell Noctis _something_.

So, when Prompto got to school, he sat at his usual place behind Noctis; and after greeting him, he quickly mumbled that he needed to talk to him.

"What is it?" Noctis asked. Prompto felt himself blush furiously, but was immediately saved by the bell ringing. He saw Noctis shoot him a weird look before turning back to face the teacher who was coming in.

They had back-to-back classes that day, during which Prompto absolutely did not pay any attention. He kept staring at Noctis' back, repeating the words in his head and hating how stupid and cheesy this whole thing was starting to feel like.

When break time came, Prompto vaguely hoped that Noctis wouldn't remember what he had said earlier, but of course his friend immediately turned around with a quizzical look on his face. "So, what did you want to tell me?" Noctis asked.

Prompto really wished his brain would stop coming up with dumb ideas for a moment, because he was suddenly feeling very tired of being himself. Still, if he was going to embarrass himself in front of Noctis, he would rather not do it in front of everyone else.

"Later," Prompto managed to mumble. "Too many people."

Noctis just grumbled and grabbed Prompto's arm as he stood up. Prompto's brain kind of blacked out as he let himself get dragged to the roof where no one else was.

Noctis turned around to face Prompto, not letting go of his arm. "So?"

Prompto realized his mouth now felt very dry, and he low-key wished that the floor would swallow him, but also Noctis' eyes were bearing into his and he found himself unable to look away. His friend was unusually unguarded, but right now Prompto could see the curiosity mixed with concern in his eyes… as well as something else, expectation maybe?

Well, now that they were here, he might as well just say it. It wasn't even a bad thing to say, he had just really made a ridiculously huge deal out of this.

Taking a deep breath, Prompto averted his eyes to the side as he felt himself blushing again. "I, uh… Thank you," he managed to say in a somewhat steady voice.

Prompto felt Noctis freeze as the hold his friend had on his arm tightened. He raised his eyes a little and could see the misunderstanding in Noctis' eyes.

"What?" Noctis simply said, scanning Prompto's face for some kind of clue.

"Well, you know…" Prompto started, shifting awkwardly on his feet and scratching the back of his head. "For, like, being my friend and all? Like, this year has been great and um… I don't know, I just wanted to… This is stupid," Prompto said, biting his lip as he looked down at his feet.

"No, it's… I just…" Noctis' voice sounded a bit strained, and when Prompto looked up again there was a flash of vulnerability in his friend's eyes. "Was that all you wanted to tell me?"

Prompto felt like something was clawing at his chest with the way Noctis was looking at him, but he couldn't figure out what it was. "Well… Yeah. I mean, sorry, this is weird, I shouldn't have said anything," Prompto started babbling. "Just call me a dork and let's get back to normal, ok?"

Noctis eyed him weirdly for a little longer, and Prompto was vaguely considering running away or maybe jumping off the roof, too scared that he might have ruined the first good thing to happen to him; but then Noctis smiled and Prompto felt a wave of relief wash over him.

"You're weird," Noctis said, finally releasing Prompto's arm to flick his forehead. Prompto chuckled, still way too embarrassed to function.

"Anyway, let's head back before class starts again," Noctis continued, turning back towards the door, but stopping as his hand grabbed the doorknob. "For what it's worth," Noctis said, not looking at Prompto, "thank you too."

There it was, that feeling clawing at his chest again. That was weird. He had been feeling relieved just a second ago, and really, Noctis thanking him as well should only have triggered those nice butterflies - so why? Why did Noctis sound so flat, so… disappointed, maybe?

Prompto barely registered following Noctis to class. His heart was pounding and he couldn't help but feel that something wasn't right. Noctis had asked if this was the only thing he had had to say but… What else had Noctis expected him to say? And why had this conversation left him with such an unfinished feeling?

As he sat down behind Noctis, the sun was high enough that it was shining through the windows, casting its light on the back of Noctis' head. Prompto's train of thought was set aside for a moment as he found himself staring at Noctis' hair, a smile forming on his lips. In the natural light, Noctis' dark hair always had some kind of blue glow. It was beautiful, really.

 _Wait. What._

Realisation struck Prompto like lightning, his smile disappearing as he lowered his head to stare really hard at his notebook.

This probably didn't mean anything. After all, there probably wasn't any rule saying you're not allowed to find your best friend's hair - or, like, everything about him - beautiful. There was nothing wrong with facts, and really, Noctis was beautiful; anyone would agree with that. And, yes, maybe he had been staring a bit too long with a stupid smile on his face, but also, he loved photography, so really, he could have only just been admiring the lighting.

 _Right. Of course. The lighting._

Prompto rested his head in his hands, completely forgetting about the world around him. How could he have been so dense? All this time, and he had never realized it. The butterflies in his stomach and the way his heart would beat faster whenever Noctis smiled at him, how much he missed him when they weren't together, and the way he smiled when he was looking through his photos of them…

This wasn't just friendship, right? That damn _"thank you"_ that his stupid brain had wanted him to tell Noctis… There was more to it, right? That's why he had been freaking out so much about it, because maybe subconsciously he had known that this was more of a confession than an expression of gratitude.

Damnit. And maybe Noctis had seen right through him when he had asked if this was all. And now he had blown everything by being stupid and goddamn oblivious.

Then again, Noctis… Noctis had seemed like he expected Prompto to say something else. Did Noctis want Prompto to tell him that he… well, _liked_ him? Did Noctis like him back? Was this even in the realm of possibility? He was just a nobody… And Noctis - never mind that he was the prince - he was amazing. Noctis was smart, athletic, kind; he was good at everything, really. Prompto was… comic relief, at best.

And yet, if Prompto was really thinking about it, he had noticed that Noctis was smiling more lately. They had started hanging out even more often, and Noctis seemed definitely more relaxed, laughing more easily… Prompto thought back to their time together, trying to find little details that could let him know whether or not he was imagining things.

He lifted his head and his eyes settled on Noctis again. What did he want, after all? What they had was great; it made him feel warm and happy, so maybe it was enough - maybe nothing needed to change. It wasn't like he could say anything that day anyway - he had been freaking out since morning and he was almost shaking. He was going to need a bit of time to figure out what he was really feeling - and hopefully get some clues as to what Noctis was feeling as well.

* * *

Sometimes, Prompto really wished he had never realized that he had this _teeny-tiny_ crush on Noctis. He had started overanalyzing everything, feeling down whenever Noctis couldn't hang out - _maybe he doesn't like me this way_ \- and outright melting whenever Noctis smiled at him - _oh Gods oh Gods oh Gods._ This was just exhausting.

Two weeks had passed after the _"thank you"_ incident, and neither of them had mentioned it again. Still, Prompto had come to accept the fact that he really did like Noctis quite a bit more than a friend should, and that it wasn't going to go away anytime soon. He wasn't sure whether or not he should say anything, though. Their friendship was back to normal and he was scared to really mess everything up if he tried another one of his ridiculous confessions. Not to mention making things weird if Noctis didn't feel the same.

And yes, maybe, _maybe_ , Prompto sometimes really wanted to hold Noctis' hand, or maybe put his head on Noctis' shoulder when they were watching a movie on the couch but… It wasn't anything he couldn't handle.

Even now, with Noctis sleeping over at his place, Prompto managed to keep his feelings in check, simply enjoying the rush of happiness he felt at their usual banter and the occasional sound of Noctis' laughter.

They were playing quietly on their phones when Noctis sat up on the inflatable mattress - he had claimed it as his own indefinitely - and shot Prompto the same weird, expectant glance he had that day on the school roof.

"Hey, Prom," Noctis started softly, his voice low and hesistant, and Prompto's heart skipped a beat as he felt suddenly very cold inside. "That day… When you thanked me and all… I just, I don't really understand it."

Prompto knew his face was becoming increasingly red with every second, as he was trying to figure out what to say. "Ah well, you know, I… It's not a big deal," Prompto started, laughing nervously. "I just, I didn't have any friends before and um… Like, well, being with you and all, it's great, so, I…"

"Prom- Okay, Prom, stop," Noctis interrupted, grabbing one of Prompto's hand as he spoke. Prompto knew the gesture was probably supposed to be reassuring but it really wasn't helping his heart settle down. "Why are you so freaked out?" Noctis asked gently. "You know you can tell me anything, right?"

And Prompto wasn't sure why, perhaps it was the way Noctis was looking at him, worried and caring - with a hint of affection, maybe? - but he knew that he had to tell his friend the truth, that he couldn't hide it forever. So he tried to calm his breathing, unconsciously tightening his hold on Noctis' hand, and closed his eyes. "Okay. Okay," he whispered as he was trying to come up with words.

Noctis squeezed his hand just a little, and Prompto's heart just melted at this simple thing, and he fleetingly wished that they would never stop holding hands. He opened his eyes, but still couldn't meet Noctis' gaze, so he kept staring down at his bed. "I… Maybe, maybe I kinda like you? As in, um, more than just friends?" Prompto said quickly, closing his eyes again once he had finished.

There was a silence, and Prompto felt as if he was about to die. He needed some kind of answer from Noctis, so he opened his eyes and hesitantly looked at his friend. Noctis was looking up at him, his expression unreadable.

"Really?" Noctis carefully asked, and Prompto started to panic.

"I, I mean, I don't want to make things weird," he quickly said, his free hand moving up to tug nervously at his hair. "It's really okay to be friends, I meant it when I said your friendship is important to me, so, really, it's good like that…"

Prompto was interrupted again by the feeling of Noctis' head settling on their joined hands, and he thought he was going to have a heart attack when he looked down. He could feel the warmth of Noctis' cheek on the back of his hand, but could only see black hair as Noctis' head was turned to the side.

"I like you too," he heard Noctis say softly, and Prompto froze, suddenly realizing he had absolutely no idea how to react to this.

As Prompto stayed silent for excruciatingly long seconds, Noctis eventually raised his head to look at him. "Is that okay?" Noctis asked, vulnerability showing in his eyes.

Prompto's eyes widened at the question - this was absurd, of _course_ it was very much okay, Noctis liked him back, what on Eos could be better? Still, he was petrified right now, because his brain just could not decide what his next action should be, and his deafening heartbeat wasn't helping him focus at all.

He stared into Noctis' expectant eyes for a few more seconds, and then opened his mouth to say something - he had no idea what, though - but the only thing that escaped his lips was a sound that sounded halfway between a sob and nervous laughter. He immediately put his free hand over his mouth, but apparently his body had caught up with what was happening because he was grinning madly behind his fingers.

Noctis must have felt the tension ease up, because his features immediately relaxed and he smiled fondly at Prompto. "You're such a dork," Noctis said as he moved to sit beside Prompto, bumping their shoulders together. Prompto watched as their fingers intertwined, his body shaking a little as he fought more nervous laughter.

"Relax," Noctis said, squeezing Prompto's hand gently. "It's still just me."

Prompto turned his head to meet Noctis' eyes, and he was about to melt for like the 400th time that night because he had never seen his friend look so genuine and happy.

"Sorry," Prompto managed to say, removing his hand from his face. "I just… You… I didn't expect..." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath to try and muster complete sentences. When he opened his eyes again, he smiled weakly at Noctis. "I guess, this is new for me so… I don't really know what to do - or say," he said hesitantly.

Noctis chuckled softly. "And you think I do?"

Prompto just shrugged and bit his lip. He couldn't help but feel a little awkward, but Noctis' smile was relaxing nevertheless.

"Let's just… figure things out together?" Noctis said, lowering his eyes to look at their joined hands.

Prompto looked down as well, and started softly rubbing his thumb across the back of Noctis' hand. "Sounds good," he whispered, as Noctis mirrored the gesture.

* * *

Prompto might have been inexperienced, but he also wasn't entirely stupid - in spite of what he might have thought about himself a great number of times - and he knew that they were taking things extremely slow.

But it was fine, he thought. They were just too scared of making each other uncomfortable, and too awkward to actually talk about any of this stuff, so they were just letting things happen naturally. Like, maybe a week earlier they would have simply been holding hands while watching a movie; but right now, Prompto had his arm around Noctis' waist as his friend - _boyfriend? damnit maybe they should talk about that_ \- had fallen asleep on his shoulder.

Cuddling like this was still new, but damn it if it hadn't instantly become one of Prompto's favorite things. He had used to think that being friends with Noctis filled a void in his life, but now that he knew what it was to feel the weight of Noctis' body against his, the warmth of his embrace - he knew just how much he had been missing out on all his life.

Intimacy wasn't really something Prompto was familiar with. It wasn't that he had bad relations with his parents, really. He knew they were doing their best, even if it meant being absent a lot. They just weren't that touchy-feely, and thus hugs and such remained a thing of the distant past, when he was still a little kid.

And while he used to think it was fine… Well, there was just _something_ about hugs, about holding someone close and being held in return. Somehow, it kind of made him feel wanted… _loved,_ even.

Maybe it was weird, that he found himself thinking about love so often - they hadn't even kissed yet - but if he was honest with himself, he had loved Noctis as a friend way before he had even realized there was something more. So what if his thoughts and feelings had skipped a few steps? It's not like it was hurting anyone.

Burying his face in Noctis' soft hair, Prompto softly kissed the top of his friend's head. This was as far as he allowed himself to go, but he couldn't deny that he had really wanted to actually kiss Noctis by now. Still, with his propension to make a fool of himself lately, he would rather have Noctis initiate it. So, he waited, his gaze often lingering on Noctis' lips, idly wondering what it would feel like.

He caught a glimpse of the time from the clock on the wall, and realized that Ignis would be there to pick Noctis up in a few minutes, so he started gently rousing the sleeping boy in his arms.

"Noct? Hey Noct, wake up," Prompto said softly, earning only a groan as Noctis buried his face deeper against his neck.

Prompto chuckled softly. It was always like this. It took a few more tries, but eventually, Noctis was up barely a few seconds before Ignis' text came in, announcing that he was waiting downstairs.

"Have fun at training," Prompto teased as he walked Noctis to his doorstep.

Noctis just groaned again, and Prompto laughed. "You're just gonna fall asleep again as soon as you get in the car, right?"

Noctis simply glanced back at Prompto, his eyebrows raised as if to say "Duh"; and his eyes were still hazy from sleep, and also he still had faint red marks on his cheek from sleeping on Prompto's shirt - and, really, Prompto's heart fluttered a bit because Noctis looked absolutely adorable like this.

Prompto grabbed Noctis' hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "See you tomorrow, man - and don't get your ass kicked by Gladio too much," he said, smiling brightly at Noctis.

Something seemed to shift in Noctis' eyes, and Prompto could have sworn he saw his friend hesitate for a second. Then Prompto's world kind of whited out, because Noctis had suddenly leaned in, and there were soft lips brushing his own, barely touching; and just as abruptly as it had happened it was over. Then Noctis was gone, leaving Prompto alone to stare at the door, his heart racing and his fingers absently moving to graze his lips.

* * *

Prompto often had trouble sleeping, for no reason at all. So, really, it could have been anything that had triggered his insomnia the previous night, and not just obsessing over that fleeting kiss that Noctis had given him. It wasn't like he had spent hours trying to remember the exact feeling, bringing his fingers to his lips about a million times to try and recreate it. Nope. Not at all. That would be ridiculous, really.

Still, here he was, yawning on Noctis' couch as they were playing some kind of racing video game that he was barely able to focus on. Maybe it was because he was really tired, or maybe it was because Noctis' presence next to him and the accidental brush of their arms made him really anxious to kiss him again - and be actually aware of it happening this time.

After losing pitifully for the fifth time in a row, Prompto sighed and put his controller down on the coffee table.

"Are you okay?" Noctis asked, a little concerned.

"I'm…" Prompto started, looking away from Noctis and fidgeting with his fingers. "Okay, this is gonna sound ridiculous but," Prompto said - and maybe the lack of sleep was making him feel more confident because otherwise he might never have asked this, "can we, like, kiss again?"

There was no reply, but Prompto eventually lifted his eyes to look at Noctis when he felt his friend's hand close around his and tug him a little closer. Noctis' lips were curled in a small smirk, an attempt at looking confident, but Prompto could see in the way his friend's gaze wavered that he _really_ wasn't.

Prompto swallowed and hesitated for a moment; maybe this was too weird, maybe he should just have let this happen again naturally. Then again, he risked a quick glance at Noctis' lips, and- _yes_ , dammit, he really wanted this right now. So, before he could even dwell on his thoughts, he grabbed Noctis' other hand and closed the distance between them.

Maybe it wasn't the best of kisses, maybe Prompto had leaned in a bit too fast and there was too much pressure at first; but then Noctis shifted a bit to compensate and Prompto sighed softly against Noctis's lips because, _Gods_ , this was everything.

Prompto knew the feelings associated with first kisses were often described in an overly poetic way - like fireworks, or electricity - but really, as far as Prompto was concerned, he could only characterize this kiss as simply _them_. There was the familiar sound of the forgotten console, the faint smell of Noctis' cologne that he could recognize anywhere, the way their hands were holding each other's - still new and yet so natural, the way Noctis' lips tasted against his - like the pizza they had had for lunch and something else that Prompto couldn't describe… But mostly, it was just how they had found each other, both lonely and kind of awkward, and wishing for someone to share everything with.

They pulled back just a little, and Prompto was sure he had the dopiest smile ever plastered on his face but he couldn't care less, because the way Noctis was smiling at him right now was new, unadulterated bliss mixed a bit of awe, and _dammit_ Noctis looked beautiful like that.

"So…" Noctis trailed off. "Wanna play again?" he asked, raising an eyebrow at Prompto and nodding briefly towards the TV.

And Prompto laughed, because _of course_ Noctis would try and act all cocky when Prompto was absolutely certain that his friend's heart was probably beating just as fast as his own.

Maybe it was the lack of sleep again, or all the hormones racing through his veins, but Prompto couldn't help but feel a little bit emboldened - after all, if Noctis liked him back, maybe he wasn't just the worthless loser he had always thought he was.

"Hmmmm…" Prompto started, trying to frown but failing miserably because he was just smiling so much. "I don't know," he said, shifting a bit closer to Noctis, "I can think of other things…"

Noctis burst into laughter. "That's such a cliche line, you dork."

"Are we playing 'who's the biggest dork' right now? Because I'll let you know I have _a lot_ of things on you," Prompto retorted, smirking.

"We're just a couple of dorks, I guess," Noctis said, raising one hand to tug a few strands of Prompto's hair behind his ear.

"Dude, that line wasn't better," Prompto said, trying to mask the fact that this simple gesture had made his heart do backflips.

"Oh, shut up," Noctis simply said, before he slipped his hand behind Prompto's neck and leaned in to kiss him again.

* * *

"Noct? Why are you-"

Prompto stopped himself as soon as he took in the sight of Noctis leaning against the wall next to Prompto's front door, hands in his pockets, his shoulders tense and his head down. Dark hair was obscuring Noctis' face, but Prompto didn't need to see it to know that Noctis wasn't okay.

It wasn't anything new, Noctis shutting down like this, and Prompto knew that there could be many reasons for it… Noctis noticing his father's health getting worse again, Ignis berating him about something kingdom-related, Gladio being too hard on him… or him simply thinking a bit too much about who he was and what was expected of him, which was just too big a burden for someone so young.

Prompto also knew that Noctis wasn't about to talk, that he just wanted to hide, to escape his world for a while. Before they were together, he would simply lead Noctis to his couch, put in some funny movie he knew his friend liked and wait silently by his side until Noctis was ready to say something.

Which is exactly what he did, except this time he slipped his arms around Noctis' tense frame when he sat down beside him. Noctis immediately leaned into the embrace, burying his face against Prompto's shirt, his hands gripping the fabric.

They remained like this for a long time, the movie running without either of them really paying it any attention, and Prompto gently stroking Noctis' back until he could feel his boyfriend's body relax in his arms.

"Thanks," Noctis eventually muttered, and Prompto simply hummed, twisting his neck a little so he could kiss Noctis' forehead softly.

Prompto thought he felt Noctis tense again just a little bit. "Love you," Noctis said, his voice muffled by Prompto's shirt, and Prompto tensed too but mostly because his heart had skipped a beat. Or two. Or more, really; he couldn't be sure, because he suddenly felt like he was floating.

They hadn't said it to each other yet, but Prompto had known for so long now that he was in love with Noctis, hearing him say it meant everything to him.

Prompto held Noctis tighter and buried his face into his boyfriend's hair. "Love you too," he said quietly, trying to hide the way his voice was wavering a little.

Noctis made a content sound against Prompto's chest and silence fell over them again. Prompto could feel Noctis' body relax in his arms again, and he could tell by the way Noctis was breathing that he was falling asleep.

Prompto smiled into Noctis' hair, his heart still fluttering. He thought back idly to that time he had thanked Noctis for being his friend and how ridiculous he had felt about it. Still, sitting here with Noctis in his arms, he would thank him a billion times if he could. For being his friend, for stealing his heart, for letting him in and giving his life purpose.

Closing his eyes, Prompto could feel that he was about to fall asleep as well. Noctis' body was a warm and comforting weight against his chest, and his smell was everywhere. Prompto's couch was still pretty uncomfortable, and they would most likely wake up with painful limbs; but, really, right now, he was too happy to care.

* * *

 _A/N:_ _(Don't judge Prompto, I was even more clueless ok - but in my defence I also never had any friends before, so, yeah)_

 _Anyway, I hope you liked this little thing (well, I'm not sure I can call it "little" seeing as it somehow ended up being 7K words long?)_

 _Don't hesitate to come talk to me on Tumblr yuneyn, I love to talk about these two!_ _I'm also on Twitter Yuneyn_, this account is fairly new so I'm always looking for new friends!_


End file.
